LEARN ABOUT
Current Projects and Programs
LEARN ABOUT
Current Projects and Programs
A place to exchange knowledge and ideas.
North Jersey RC&D created the Regenerative Farm Network (RFN-NJ) as a place for farmers to learn and exchange knowledge regarding regenerative farm practices. Through RFN-NJ, farmers can receive technical assistance, training opportunities, speaker-development and farmer-to-farmer networking.
What Do Participants Gain?
North Jersey RC&D works with partners to provide:
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Educational workshops, field days, and meetings.
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Topics may include mitigation strategies for dealing with increased severe weather; rotational grazing; available farm loans and financial assistance; etc.
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Farmer Network Tours: Informative farmer-led walks.
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1:1 Technical Assistance (TA) Opportunity: TA includes farm business planning, budget, or marketing planning; nutrient management planning; TA for implementing conservation practices; or soil testing fees.
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Steering Committee/Regional Leadership Training: An opportunity for development to become a regional conservation leader and provide input on the direction of RFN-NJ.
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Mentorship opportunity: Each year we pair 3 mentors with 3 mentees to train up new and transitioning farmers to regenerative agriculture.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Pastured Poultry Series
Don’t miss the Pastured Poultry Field Day: Pastured Poultry in Practice: Systems, Feed, and Farm Economics! Sign up by April 19th to be included in the lunch order!
Event Highlights
• Hear from Jeff Mattocks of Fertrell and author of Pastured Poultry Feeding and Management.
• See two farm operations: Haring Family Farm and Grand Cru Farm.
• Learn about the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA).
• Come with questions, learn from pros, and improve your pastured poultry operation!
The field day is part of the Pastured Poultry Series. Past sessions included webinars on Raising Chicks: From Post Office to Pasture and The Pasture and the Poultry: Growing Healthy Pasture for Healthy Birds.
Date: April 25th
Time: Registration opens 9am; Event 9:30am-2:15pm
Location: Hunterdon County, NJ
Farmer Network Tour at Perwinkle Skies
Join us at Periwinkle Skies for the next Regenerative Farm Network (RFN-NJ) tour! The tour will be in Milford, NJ on Tues. May 5th (VERY BAD WEATHER DATE May 6th). Tobi and Mac have created a niche where they specialize in growing 15 blends of herbal teas along with natural pigments for artist’s paints. They utilize permaculture principles, no-till, and agroforestry practices on 1.5 acres of garden beds and 3 acres of forest. The farm is Certified Naturally Grown and River Friendly Farm certified.
Tobi and Mac will cover permaculture practices they’re implementing (swales on contour, compost tea, perennial plants, etc.), along with discussions on their greenhouse, mushroom tunnel, and rain catchment system. As time allows, we can discuss and see their sustainable living practices (straw bale house, heating, and solar power, etc.).
Don’t forget to bring a mug, lawn chair, and/or your favorite tea. At the end of the tour, folks are welcome to stick around to talk, share, and connect. Tobi will be providing a sample of her homegrown tea!
Date: May 5th
Time: Registration opens 1pm; Tour 1:30-3:30pm
more about the
regenerative farm network
Who can join?
RFN-NJ is open to all farmers interested in learning about regenerative farm practices for their farms. Currently, content will be tailored towards small- to mid-sized producers in the northern New Jersey counties of Hunterdon, Morris, Mercer, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren. Historically underserved farmers will have priority for technical assistance and mentorship through the program.
What is a historically underserved farmer?
Historically underserved farmers and ranchers include beginner, limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and veteran farmers and ranchers. You can learn more clicking here.
What is the purpose of the Regenerative Farm Network?
There is a growing need to provide farmers with the technical expertise and tools to build resiliency. Farmers are facing more frequent, intense storms and unpredictable weather. The prices of inputs are sky-rocketing. Implementing regenerative, soil health practices can be a tool to help mitigate those pressures and build farm resilience. The RFN-NJ will assist farmers by providing a network of peers and technical experts to learn from and share knowledge around building farm resilience.
RFN-NJ Mission:
To foster a collaborative community that empowers New Jersey farmers to adopt and expand regenerative agriculture practices through peer-to-peer learning, leadership development, and technical and financial assistance, enhancing farm viability, building soil health, protecting water quality, and supporting resilient food production.
RFN-NJ Vision:
A thriving, resilient agricultural future for New Jersey, where farmers from all backgrounds, experience levels, and production types come together to embrace regenerative farming practices, ensuring robust food systems, healthy ecosystems, and vibrant farming communities for generations to come.
How can I join?
Joining is simple. Fill out a short membership form here or contact sloscalzo@northjerseyrcd.org.
How is RFN funded?
This work is supported by the Conservation Outreach: Equity through Cooperative Agreements grant through USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
RFN-NJ
Steering Committee & Regional Leadership TraininG
It is important that farmers are directly involved in shaping RFN-NJ. Six members of RFN-NJ are selected each year to be part of the Steering Committee to provide guidance and shape RFN-NJ.
To foster leaders who can serve as a continued resource for farmer-to-farmer learning, the Steering Committee members will also be part of the Regional Leadership Training Initiative. The Steering Committee will receive mentorship and training to support their education and development into Regional Leaders for regenerative agriculture as part of the Regional Leadership Training Initiative.
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2025 Steering Committee and NJ RC&D staff from left to right: Erin Shroll (Blue Herons Farm and Native Nursery), Laura Tessieri (NJ RC&D), Holly Sytsema (The Farm at Windy Flats), Mitchell Jones (Mountain Top Farm), Elise Haring (Haring Family Farm), Sam Loscalzo (NJ RC&D), Bryce Cotton (Cotton Cattle Co.), Tomia MacQueen (Wildflower Farm)
Past Steering Committees
Past Events & Opportunities
RFN-NJ 4th Annual Network Event - Rooted in Collaboration: Strengthening Farmer Networks
An event dedicated to building stronger farmer-to-farmer connections and idea sharing. RFN-NJ brings farmers together to learn from one another, exchange practical knowledge, and develop relationships that support long-term farm success.
Event Highlights: Farmer Collaboration Panel; Presentation on tools and insights to strengthen your farm's triple bottom line: people, planet, profit; Small-group breakouts - supportive peer-farmer feedback on your 2026 farm project.
Date: Jan. 8th, 2026
Location: Raritan Valley Community College
Read an article here about the Farmer Collaboration Panel.
Farmer Network Tour: Cotton Cattle Co. + Grill & Gather
Bryce Cotton of Cotton Cattle Co. will discuss his diverse cover crop mix, grazing annual mixes, and dry matter estimates and how they all work together to improve the average daily weight gains of his cattle, the bottom line of his farm financials, and of course, soil health.
After the farm tour, kick back with us at the Lodge at Cotton Cattle Co. for a laid-back cookout—burgers, hot dogs, and good company. It’s the perfect chance to catch up, swap stories, and talk shop before the busy season kicks into high gear!
Date: Tuesday, May 20th, 2025
Location: Asbury, Warren County, NJ
Read an article here on the tour.
Spring Garden Prep Field Day
Interested in raised garden beds for production or seed saving? Come for a day at Wildflower Farm in Pennington, NJ with Tomia MacQueen and RFN-NJ. Tomia will go over basics of choosing the right kind of raised bed for your goals, bed preparation, crop rotation, as well as seed production and companion planting. Stay for a guided hands-on experience in preparing beds.
Date: Saturday, March 29th, 2025
Mentorship Program - filled for 2025
The mentorship program is a flexible program tailored to the needs of the mentees and expertise and teaching styles of the mentors. We aim to help shape the future of New Jersey agriculture by fostering the growth of new or transitioning regenerative farmers. Three mentors and three mentees have been paired for the 2025 cohort. We look forward to watching the mentee/mentorship pairs grow!
Lunch & Learn: Grassland Bird Habitat on Working Farms
Join us for a lunchtime webinar hosted by the Regenerative Farm Network (RFN-NJ) and learn about how you can encourage grassland birds on your farm! Celia Vuocolo, Stewardship Project Director at NJ Audubon, will discuss:
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The importance of supporting grassland birds on working farms,
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Agricultural practices that encourage grassland birds,
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Local resources that can provide financial incentives and technical assistance.
Grab your lunch and join us for this informative webinar!
RFN-NJ Annual Network Event: Get Connected!
Discover available programs and meet the people who run them, network with fellow farmers, build valuable connections for your farm's success! This event was held Dec. 5th, 2024. Click here to learn about the organizations that attended the RFN-NJ 2024 Annual Network Event and provide programs to NJ farmers.
Chat & Chew: Elderberry Production
This RFN-NJ Chat & Chew will be a round table discussion with Q&A for both experienced and beginning farmers who are interested in growing elderberries.
RFN-NJ Annual Networking Event
SENDING OUT ROOTS: Tapping into Regenerative Agriculture
Engage in Q&As with fellow farmers on how they tap into the bigger pictures of their farm when making decisions. Discover insights on how they work with their natural environment, communities, and economies and what they've done to overcome challenges.
Soils Field Day
Join the Regenerative Farm Network (RFN-NJ) with NRCS soil scientist, Fred Schoenagel. Farmers will learn some insights on what they can look for in their own soils before making management changes or troubleshooting a field that is not performing optimally.
In the afternoon, we'll enjoy a boxed lunch at the Prallsville Mill followed by a presentation with consultant Sarah Crooke. Sarah will discuss how to collect soil samples and how to interpret soil lab results, followed by a Q&A.
RFN-NJ Updates & News
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?
Contact Sam Loscalzo at sloscalzo@northjerseyrcd.org or
(908) 574-5368